Spacer device for multiple glazed units



o. D. ENGLEHART 2,684,266

SPACER DEVICE FOR MULTIPLE GLAZED UNITS Jlfll 20, 1954 Filed March 28, 1952 16 V/IIA'IIIIIIIIIII a V/////////////).'//// I u. an"

INVENTOR. Os car D. En glehari:

mm f. 4am,

Patented July 20, 1954 SPACER DEVICE FOR MULTIPLE GLAZED UNITS Oscar D. Englehart, Brackenridge, Pa., assignor to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, Allegheny County, -Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 28, 1952, Serial No. 279,141

5 Claims.

This invention relates to window constructions and more particularly to an improved spacer device for multiple glazed units.

Multiple glazed units comprise two or more panel of glass spaced one from the other to provide an insulating air film between adjacent panels. It is known to utilize hollow metal spacer devices containing a desiccant composition therein and having openings or diffusion plugs permitting the desiccant to absorb moisture from the air films entrapped between the glass panels.

One object of this invention i to provide an improved spacer construction in the form of a rolled lock seam tube which is relatively inexpensive to make and fabricate into a desiccant containing spacer for multiple glazed units.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel desiccant-containing spacer device not requiring drilled openings or diffusion plugs to permit the access of air to the desiccant.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a novel desiccant-containing tubular spacer device having a knurled edge lock seam construction permeable to air.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a novel spacer construction of rolled metal tubing of rectangular cross section easily handled and fabricated into a spacer unit for multiple glazed window constructions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a short section of a spacer device embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view, somewhat enlarged, of the spacer shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view, somewhat enlarged, of a modified form of spacer device.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a multiple glazed window unit utilizing the spacer device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, the spacer device is in the form of a metal tube lll' having a lock scam I I extending along the length thereof. The tube It is preferably of rectangular cross section, but may be of any cross section, and the central enclosed space may be filled with a dessicant [2, as shown in Figure 4. The lock seam H may be formed by conventional metal rolling apparatus, and comprises one edge portion [4 of the metal forming the tube I having the other edge portion I5 wrapped around it. Before the seam forming operation, the edge or marginal portion I5 is knurled to provide a plurality of lateral grooves I6 therein. The grooves it are provided on both faces of the marginal edge portion i5, and the edge of portion I5 is also knurled to provide a notched edge H.

The spacer device may be formed by shaping fiat aluminum strips into the cross section illustrated. The spacer tubing may be formed from any suitable metals such as aluminum, stainless, or carbon steels, and the like, of .010 inch to .020 inch thickness. Such tubing is relatively inexpensive when compared to the cost of suitable extruded aluminum tubing. The channels or grooves l6 and I1 resulting from the knurling operation provide a multiplicity of passageways from the outside of the spacer Hi to the inside thereof for permitting circulation of air from outside the spacer into contact with a moisture absorbing desiccant within the spacer.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the lock seam 2| is provided inside the spacer tube 26, rather than outside as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The spacer 29 is preferably of rectangular cross section. The marginal portion 24 is enclosed by the other marginal portion 25, and portion 25 i knurled on both faces to provide lateral grooves 26 and a notched edge 21. As in the Figure 2 construction, the grooves 25 and notched edge 21 of the Figure 3 modification provide a multiplicity of channels permitting air to have access to the inside of the spacer tube 20.

The spacer tubes described are utilized in multiple glazed units to space the glass panels from one another to form an air film between each pair of glass panels. As shown in Figure 4, the spacer I0 is positioned between the marginal portions of glass panels 3| and 32, and a channel frame member 33 is provided to hold the panels and spacer together as a multiple glazed unit. The spacer It] contains a desiccant I2, such as activated alumina, anhydrous calcium sulfate, or the like. A sealing compound 34, such as a dispersion of carbon black in polyisobutylene, is provided in the space between the edges of panels 3| and 32, the bottom of spacer I0 and the channel frame member 33 to provide a unit having an effective vapor seal. The passageways formed by the knurled edge portions of the lock seam H, as shown in the enlarged Figure 2 illustration, provide for access of air in the film between panels 32 and 33 to the desiccant l2 within the spacer H), for the removal of moisture from said air film. It is to be understood that the spacer device shown and described herein may be used in multiple glazed units having only 6 two glass panels 3| and 33, or may be used in units having more than two glass panels, and in such cases a spacer device In is used between the marginal portions of each adjacent pair of glass panels.

The spacer unit shown and described is easily handled and fabricated by cutting to desired lengths and securing together by welding, brazing, or the like. The provision of the lock seam type of joint provides a strong tubing, and the provision of the knurled edges to form air'passageways through the seam eliminates the necessity for drilling air holes or the installation of diffusion plugs. The knurled edge seam also provides a relatively rigid tubular device because the knurled edges prevent slippage along the rolled seam. The seam II is rolled sufiiciently tight to prevent the desiccant l2 within the tube from entering the air space between glass panels 3| and 32, but loose enough to permit moisture to diffuse from the air space into the desiccant l2 within the spacer tube [0.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations in the nature and arrangement of the elements of the spacer construction are possible without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A spacer construction for a multiple glazed unit, said spacer comprising a tubular member having a longitudinal seam extending along the length of one side thereof, said seam including a pair of overlapped surfaces, one of said overlapped surfaces having a series of transverselyextending spaced grooves therein, said grooved surface being in contact with the-other of said surfaces, whereby said grooved surface defines a multiplicity of passages through said seam, and a desiccant located within said tubular member.

2. A spacer construction for a multiple glazed unit, said spacer comprising a tubular metal member of substantially rectangular cross section formed from a strip of sheet material, the marginal portions of said material being overlapped and interlocked into a longitudinal seam along one side of said tubular member, the surfaces of one of said marginal portions having a plurality of spaced grooves therein, said grooves providing a multiplicity of passages through said seam, and a desiccant located within said tubular member.

3. A spacer construction for a multiple glazed unit, said spacer comprising a tubular sheet metal member of substantially rectangular cross section, said member having a longitudinal interlocked seam along one side thereof, one of the metal surfaces of said seam being knurled with a plurality of spaced grooves extending transversely of the length of said seam, said grooves defining with other surfaces of said seam a multiplicity of passages extending through said seam, and a desiccant located within said tubular memher.

4. A spacer construction for a multiple glazed unit, said spacer comprising a tubular metal member of substantially rectangular cross section, said member having a longitudinal seam of overlapped interlocked marginal portions positioned outward of the plane of the seam side of said member, one of said interlocked marginal portions being knurled with a plurality of spaced grooves, said grooves defining with other portions of said seam a multiplicity of passages through said seam and a desiccant located within said tubular member.

5. A spacer construction for a multiple glazed unit, said spacer comprising a tubular metal member of rectangular shape, said member having a longitudinal seam of overlapped interlocked marginal portions extending along one side of said member, saidoverlapped marginal portions being within said tubular member, one of said marginal portions being knurled with a plurality of spaced grooves defining passages through said seam, and a desiccant located within said tubular member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 330,556 Briggs Nov. 17, 1885 1,744,070 Deacon Jan. 21 1930 1,913,702 DAdrain June 13, 1933 2,305,957 Edwards Dec. 22, 1942 2,306,327 Baldwin Dec. 22, 1942 2,526,752 Horstman Oct. 24, 1950 

